Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We investigated the behaviour of freshwater blackworms ( Lumbriculus variegatus ) in a circular maze containing food in its central chamber. Analysis of 11 time-lapse recordings showed that all tested worms entered the central chamber, although first-arrival times and spatial exploration patterns varied substantially. Registered occupancy maps revealed non-uniform use of corridors and chambers. Because the study did not include a no-food control, the observations demonstrate central-chamber entry and spatial exploration but do not by themselves establish food localisation or chemotaxis. The assay provides a reproducible framework for studying annelid exploration and for future controlled comparisons of sensory cues and maze complexity.
Author: Andrew Adamatzky
Institution: University of the West of England
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7222747296